Council gives views on government strategy

DUMFRIES and Galloway Council has officially responded to the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Strategy for 2027-37. The response sets out the council’s priorities and position on how future investment decisions should support improvements across the region. It calls for a fair and equitable approach to infrastructure investment in rural regions, highlighting that current business case processes often favour urban authorities. The council says investment decisions must reflect rural geography, scale and dispersed populations. The response also notes that the region generates around four times more energy than it uses. It makes the case for retaining more of that benefit locally to support economic growth. It further says Scottish Government support is needed to deliver major infrastructure improvements. These include roads, housing, energy and economic infrastructure. A council spokesperson said: “We are clear that investment in roads, digital connectivity, housing and energy is essential for Dumfries and Galloway. “We want to work with the Scottish Government to make sure national decisions reflect the realities of regions like ours.”